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I
Student Newspaper of the University of Southern California Since 1912
www.dailytrojan.com
October 6, 2005
Bryce Alan Pinkos I Daily Trojan
Gang prevention. Ex-gang affiliate Adrian Renteria talks with student Alberto de la Torre outside of John Adams Middle School. At 16, Renteria was shot seven times and still has two bullets in his body, which are lodged too close to his spine to remove.
Preventing kids from entering gangs
The All Peoples Christian Center implements therapy supported by Pete Carroll.
By BONNIE SCHINDLER
Staff Writer
Thanks to assistance from USC football coach Pete Carroll, a curriculum of self-improvement and devotion is being taught to youths in South Los Angeles who might be on the cusp of joining a gang, dropping out of school, becoming addicted to drugs or going to prison.
Mentors for the All Peoples
Christian Center after-school programs go to area schools such as Destiny Academy, an all-girls high school, and John Adams Middle School, located in an area filled with various gangs and tagging crews who do not get along, said mentoring coach Adrian Renteria.
The cognitive therapy curriculum is expensive, but Carroll made the program available to All Peoples and other organizations, said Pastor Greg Turk, who directs programs that teach the curriculum at the All Peoples Christian Center in South Los Angeles.
Carroll called up the Pacific
Institute's founder, Lou Tice, and expressed interest in taking the same corporate concepts used by Fortune 500 companies and implementing them in the neighborhood, Turk said.
Turk said his goal is to get people moving toward a more positive inner self. “(It is important that we) understand how our minds work, how we talk to ourselves," he said.
Turk and his assistants work the method on the kids, hoping to curb any negativity that may have already set in within their minds.
“We have to create processes that allows them to think more positive
l see Program, page 15 i
Quick Facts ♦ -
The cognitive therapy curriculum is used by Fortune 500 companies.
The goal of the program is to get people to see a positive inner self.
Speaking test added to TOEFL
Students who receive below a certain score are accepted conditionally to the university.
By KATE JACKSON
Contributing Writer
While USC encourages and caters to a diverse population of students — about 6,000 international students from 115 different countries pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees at any time — the university constantly has to determine how to incorporate students whose first language is not English.
"There is merit in being exposed to a variety of Englishes, because that is what globalization will give us," said Kate O’Connor, director of the USC Language Academy.
But at the same time, the university must test the students, using programs such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language to determine their proficiency.
Recently, the Educational Testing
Services added an extra level of difficulty — a speaking component — to the TOEFL, causing some concern from students.
The test has been used by many universities for the past 20 years, including many departments at USC, and is taken by 700,000 a year, to assess international students’ English proficiency.
“I know that students, individually are panicked by the speaking portion,” O’Connor said.
USC, although not requiring the test for international students, will take the score to fulfill the mandatory International Student English exam requirement Students who achieve below a certain score are accepted conditionally on the grounds that they take additional English language classes from the USC American Language Institute.
There are two main reasons why the test needed a makeover, O’Connor said. The first is that professors were finding a discrepancy between students' high scores on the test and poor performance in class.
“(The new test) will more accurately predict which international students are ready for university work," O’Connor said.
She said that the new version tests “discrete skills" which include one’s ability to listen, comprehend, and communicate all at the same time — skills which are vital in the
I see TOEFL page 17
"I know that students individually are panicked by the speaking portion. ”
KATF. O’CONNOR director USC Language Academy
INSIDE
Writing 340 professor John Fredrick has been the frontman of a rock band for nearly 16 years. 9
Vol. CXI. VII. No. 32
From sunrise to sunset: fasting for Muslim holiday
The Muslim Student Union holds iftars, or dinners, to break the fast every weekday.
By JOANNA WU
Staff Wnter
Muslim students gathered at Commons Wednesday evening to break their fast in observance of the holy month of Ramadan. The Muslim Student Union will hold free iftars — dinners after sunset — for Muslims on campus every weekday.
During Ramadan. Muslims commemorate the prophet Muhammad's receiving of the Quran, the holy book, from Allah, or God.
Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset which is from about 5:15 a.m to 6J0 p.m.. to learn self-discipline, to know how the poor feel and to think
about the blessings from Allah. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, which are the basic beliefs of Islam.
Observers must also abstain from sexual relations with their spouses and are encouraged to stay away from immoral acts, such as wasting time in front of the television, said Karim Vidhani. student leader of the Muslim Students Association
The MSA plans to sponsor a few iftars with the MSU, •' Vidhani said. Funding for the iftars is coming from private donations, many of which are provided by students and families, said Mesbah Ahmad, a sophomore majoring in business administration and the organizer of the iftars.
Each dinner costs about $500 and about 100 people are expected to attend each. Ahmad said. The University I se* *■■■<■■ page IM
Praying to Allah. USC students from the Muslim Students Union prayed in Common* Wednesday night, which was the first night of Ramadan
INDEX
Arizona brings its Pac-10-leading pass defense to the Coliseum Saturday. 24
Notre Dame ticket process needs more planning. 4
Neva Digest 2 Sport*-----------*4
Upcoming—*...8 CU»»ified»—20 Opinions-----4 Ufotyte——t
WEATHER Today: Sunny. High of 84. low of 60.
Tomorrow: Sunny. High 80. low 59.

I
Student Newspaper of the University of Southern California Since 1912
www.dailytrojan.com
October 6, 2005
Bryce Alan Pinkos I Daily Trojan
Gang prevention. Ex-gang affiliate Adrian Renteria talks with student Alberto de la Torre outside of John Adams Middle School. At 16, Renteria was shot seven times and still has two bullets in his body, which are lodged too close to his spine to remove.
Preventing kids from entering gangs
The All Peoples Christian Center implements therapy supported by Pete Carroll.
By BONNIE SCHINDLER
Staff Writer
Thanks to assistance from USC football coach Pete Carroll, a curriculum of self-improvement and devotion is being taught to youths in South Los Angeles who might be on the cusp of joining a gang, dropping out of school, becoming addicted to drugs or going to prison.
Mentors for the All Peoples
Christian Center after-school programs go to area schools such as Destiny Academy, an all-girls high school, and John Adams Middle School, located in an area filled with various gangs and tagging crews who do not get along, said mentoring coach Adrian Renteria.
The cognitive therapy curriculum is expensive, but Carroll made the program available to All Peoples and other organizations, said Pastor Greg Turk, who directs programs that teach the curriculum at the All Peoples Christian Center in South Los Angeles.
Carroll called up the Pacific
Institute's founder, Lou Tice, and expressed interest in taking the same corporate concepts used by Fortune 500 companies and implementing them in the neighborhood, Turk said.
Turk said his goal is to get people moving toward a more positive inner self. “(It is important that we) understand how our minds work, how we talk to ourselves," he said.
Turk and his assistants work the method on the kids, hoping to curb any negativity that may have already set in within their minds.
“We have to create processes that allows them to think more positive
l see Program, page 15 i
Quick Facts ♦ -
The cognitive therapy curriculum is used by Fortune 500 companies.
The goal of the program is to get people to see a positive inner self.
Speaking test added to TOEFL
Students who receive below a certain score are accepted conditionally to the university.
By KATE JACKSON
Contributing Writer
While USC encourages and caters to a diverse population of students — about 6,000 international students from 115 different countries pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees at any time — the university constantly has to determine how to incorporate students whose first language is not English.
"There is merit in being exposed to a variety of Englishes, because that is what globalization will give us," said Kate O’Connor, director of the USC Language Academy.
But at the same time, the university must test the students, using programs such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language to determine their proficiency.
Recently, the Educational Testing
Services added an extra level of difficulty — a speaking component — to the TOEFL, causing some concern from students.
The test has been used by many universities for the past 20 years, including many departments at USC, and is taken by 700,000 a year, to assess international students’ English proficiency.
“I know that students, individually are panicked by the speaking portion,” O’Connor said.
USC, although not requiring the test for international students, will take the score to fulfill the mandatory International Student English exam requirement Students who achieve below a certain score are accepted conditionally on the grounds that they take additional English language classes from the USC American Language Institute.
There are two main reasons why the test needed a makeover, O’Connor said. The first is that professors were finding a discrepancy between students' high scores on the test and poor performance in class.
“(The new test) will more accurately predict which international students are ready for university work," O’Connor said.
She said that the new version tests “discrete skills" which include one’s ability to listen, comprehend, and communicate all at the same time — skills which are vital in the
I see TOEFL page 17
"I know that students individually are panicked by the speaking portion. ”
KATF. O’CONNOR director USC Language Academy
INSIDE
Writing 340 professor John Fredrick has been the frontman of a rock band for nearly 16 years. 9
Vol. CXI. VII. No. 32
From sunrise to sunset: fasting for Muslim holiday
The Muslim Student Union holds iftars, or dinners, to break the fast every weekday.
By JOANNA WU
Staff Wnter
Muslim students gathered at Commons Wednesday evening to break their fast in observance of the holy month of Ramadan. The Muslim Student Union will hold free iftars — dinners after sunset — for Muslims on campus every weekday.
During Ramadan. Muslims commemorate the prophet Muhammad's receiving of the Quran, the holy book, from Allah, or God.
Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset which is from about 5:15 a.m to 6J0 p.m.. to learn self-discipline, to know how the poor feel and to think
about the blessings from Allah. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, which are the basic beliefs of Islam.
Observers must also abstain from sexual relations with their spouses and are encouraged to stay away from immoral acts, such as wasting time in front of the television, said Karim Vidhani. student leader of the Muslim Students Association
The MSA plans to sponsor a few iftars with the MSU, •' Vidhani said. Funding for the iftars is coming from private donations, many of which are provided by students and families, said Mesbah Ahmad, a sophomore majoring in business administration and the organizer of the iftars.
Each dinner costs about $500 and about 100 people are expected to attend each. Ahmad said. The University I se* *■■■